Ahh, coffee! That first cup o’ joe can usually set the tone for the rest of the day. And certainly the Pacific Northwest is known as THE mecca for coffee drinkers and connoisseurs alike.

We definitely love our coffee just as much as our wine with many local independent coffee shops offering coffee “cuppings” – imagine a wine tasting, but for coffee!

We know Coffee is d’lish paired with dark chocolate … so why not get a bit savory and cook with it?  Ground espresso adds a deep rich flavor to spice rubs like in my Dish D’Lish Rain City Seasoning – excellent on steak, Alaskan salmon or try in my recipe for Savory Roasted Squash.

How about adding a cup of brewed coffee to your next slow cooked beef stew or chili recipe – it will add such a rich flavor to the dish.

On the sweeter side of things, add a little ground espresso to chocolate cupcake batter or your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe for a mocha-licious twist. Or for your next brunch try working in a little strong brewed coffee or espresso into your next “Coffee Cake” – for a true COFFEE cake experience! –Kathy

Savory Roasted Squash
The rich coffee notes in the Rain City Seasoning bring out the sweetness of the squash. Snazz up this tasty side dish with a sprinkling of blue cheese, pomegranate seeds and toasted hazelnuts.

Makes about 6 servings.

1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. dry vermouth, white wine or apple juice
6 cups peeled 1 1/2-inch cubed winter squash, such as Hubbard, Butternut or Acorn
1 Tbsp. Dish D’Lish Rain City Seasoning

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a large bowl whisk the oil, brown sugar and vermouth together. Then add the squash and stir to coat well. Sprinkle the squash with the Rain City Seasoning and then toss to coat.

Lay the squash out in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast the squash for about 25 – 35 minutes until they are tender and the edges are caramelized.

Recipe and Photo © Kathy Casey Food Studios.

The holidays are upon us and it’s time to start planning those holiday dinners for friends and family. Everyone has their favorites from old-school marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes to the classic green bean casserole. For me, it’s all about the turkey! Juicy and golden, it graces most of our holiday dinner tables. But, alas! There can be many turkey tragedies, “turkey sins” as I like to call them. From the overcooked and dried out to the not-fully-defrosted-and-then-baked-raw travesty! Zowie!

Ample planning and some good rules of thumb can ensure a low-stress turkey roasting day. Below, I’ll walk you through the 10 turkey sins, and provide tips on how to have a d’lish holiday meal.

I’m also including a recipe for my Cranberry Citrus Cooler, Herb-Lacquered Roasted Turkey, Old Fashioned Turkey Gravy ( a recipe that makes a lot! – see sin #7!), Overnight Wild Rice Stuffing and Egg Nog Panna Cotta for you to cook up some holiday fun!

Turkey Sin #1: Roasting a Half-Frozen Bird, or the “turkey’sicle”

If you’re buying a standard bird at the grocery store, take into consideration most of these babies are frozen or “half” frozen. I love ordering a fresh local Foster Farms bird. If you do too, keep in mind to get your order in at least 2+ weeks ahead at your favorite market or butcher/poultry shop. Remember to get to “know your turkey” – if you’re going for a fresh bird, it will cook a bit quicker (and need more seasoning) than a traditional “plumped” turkey. The rule of thumb is: you should start defrosting your bird in the refrigerator about 5 days in advance—up to 7 if it’s a biggie! Watch me season and stuff fresh herbs in my fully defrosted turkey on Q13!

Turkey Sin #2: Leaving the Bag of Giblets in the Bird

How many of you have seen these left in during baking!? Once your bird is ready for the big day, take it out of the wrapper. Remove the bag of “goodies and giblets” from inside, and also check inside the neck cavity. (NO one wants a turkey “butt” surprise). You can use the neck and giblets to make a little pan of turkey stock for adding to gravy if you like.

Turkey Sin #3: “Steaming,” Rather than Roasting, your Bird

Roasting your turkey in a big old deep roasting pan creates steam from the turkey juices and does not make for a crispy-skinned bird. To avoid this, rinse your turkey inside and out; then pat it dry. Place in a wide shallow pan, up on a roasting rack. Stick some aromatics, such as quartered onions, an orange and a few big sprigs of fresh herbs, such as thyme, sage and rosemary, in the inside cavity.

Turkey Sin #4: Under Seasoning

All the gravy and cranberry sauce in Plymouth Rock can’t hide an under seasoned bird. You can carefully stuff fun things like fresh sage leaves, sprigs of thyme, fresh basil leaves and small tufts of rosemary under the turkey’s skin but watch out for tears in the skin. Herbs will add a nice flavor to the meat. Season your turkey liberally with kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper – or I love to use my Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt! This means really season it well—rub it all over, under the wings, on the back of the bird—massage that baby! For a medium-sized turkey, you want to use at least 1 tablespoon of kosher salt plus about 1 teaspoon of pepper or about 2 Tbsp of my Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt.

Turkey Sin #5: An Undercooked or Overcooked Bird

Undercook your bird, and put your guests at risk. Overcook your bird, and you’ll need to offer guests a LOT of wine for washing it down…which could lead to family drama! Cooking your bird just right is tricky. To start with, there are a million different methods. I’m a roasted-turkey gal, but I know there are lots of you turkey-fryers out there. And it does make a good bird (but beware of garage fires!) —but I gotta have my gravy. To keep it simple, get yourself a good instant-read thermometer and be sure to preheat your oven. See my favorite recipe and tips, below, for roasting. To avoid overcooking your bird, plan your day. When are you serving dinner? Work back from there. Unless you are cooking a 40-lb monster turkey or eating dinner at 11 AM, there is no need to get the bird in the oven at 6 AM!! Yes, I have succumbed to eating one of those roasted-for-8-hours birds, and it wasn’t pretty!

Turkey sin #5-B Note

Do not leave the thermometer in the bird when you are roasting it – see picture below.

I prefer an instant read thermometer.

Turkey Sin #6: An Improperly Carved Turkey

After all that hard work put into creating a picture-perfect, delicious-tasting bird, do not let the knife get into inexperienced hands! It may be tradition to let the man of the house perform the ceremonious carve, but not if he’s going to hack it to death (Family Note: Seen at the in-laws frequently.  For God sakes just let me do it)! Give the bird 20 minutes to rest. This will allow you to get the rest of the dinner on the table. To start carving, take off the breast first, and slice thin. Disjoint the legs, thighs, and wings and slice the thighs if desired. My in-laws use an electric knife (it was probably a wedding gift from the 60’s!) and actually, the thing works pretty darn well. I favor my super-sharp Henkel chef’s knife. But hey! Use whatever gets you the nicest slices. (I kind of like those old school electric carving knives too!) You can watch me carve and serve up roasted turkey pieces on Q13 here!

Turkey Sin #7: Not Enough Gravy- This could be the ultimate sin!

Gravy and turkey is like milk and cookies: delightfully harmonious. To be sure you make enough, immediately transfer your roasted bird to a platter to rest, and collect all those yummy juices for making pan gravy. Or, what I like to do is make turkey stock a few days ahead using some purchased turkey legs and then make a big batch of gravy in the bird-cooking pan. There’s nothing worse than not enough gravy! I like my do ahead gravy recipe below – and it makes LOTS! Watch me make lots of turkey gravy on Q13!

Turkey Sin #8: Letting the Cooked Bird Sit Out…. All Day… and Beyond

Once you have the meat off the bird, remember to not let it sit on the counter all evening, increasing the risk of spoilage. I like to take off any extra meat and refrigerate it for soups or sandwiches. Don’t throw away that turkey carcass! Break it up, throw it in a big pot, cover with water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 1–2 hours. Strain the stock well, then cool. Now you have yummy turkey broth to make some tasty soup later in the week.

Turkey Sin #9: No Turkey Leftovers for Sandwiches

And this brings us to the sin second only to not making enough gravy: not cooking enough turkey. Turkey sandwiches—I love them piled high with homemade cranberry compote—are absolutely de rigueur for next-day snacking … or midnight refrigerator raids, for those who cannot wait! So if you’re inviting your peeps over for dinner –encourage people to bring some their own Tupperware –  give them some leftovers …. it will make for very happy guests and less to cram in the already packed refrigerator!

Turkey Sin #10: Not Enjoying Yourself

Running around the kitchen like a turkey with its head cut off is no way to enjoy the holiday. Don’t allow the day to consume you. Why not give each person something to bring to the dinner? Maybe even send them a recipe you would like them to make. The holidays are all about gathering over a meal, so get those football-watchers off the couch and into the kitchen. Get your guests involved by setting the table, pouring drinks, warming the rolls, anything to help. You’ll relax more and create lasting memories with your family and friends.

———————————————–

One of my favorite turkey-roasting methods follows, so whether you are a first-time cooker or an old hand at the turkey game, I hope my tips and recipes will allow you to have a super-successful holiday meal!

Kathy’s Herb-Lacquered Roasted Turkey
Chef’s Notes:  Read recipe all the way through a few days before your dinner. A tasty do-ahead turkey gravy that makes LOTS follows.

Allow about 1 1/2 – 2 hours of roasting time for a 12-pound turkey (that is fresh and not stuffed), and add about 5 to 10 minutes for each additional pound. This will be one of the most beautiful turkeys you’ve ever roasted!  If roasting a large turkey 20 – 24 lbs, bake at 350 degrees. A 22-lb turkey should take about 2 1/2 – 3 hours to reach 175–180 degrees internal temperature (insert an instant-read thermometer in the back side of the thigh).

Makes 8 to 16 servings, with leftovers

1 12- to 16-pound turkey
4 or more large, fresh rosemary sprigs
1 large onion, skin on, quartered
1 head of garlic, broken apart
8 large sage leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt + 1/2 – 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
OR 2 + tablespoons Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt

Place an oven rack low in the oven, removing extra racks if necessary. Preheat oven to 375°F.

Remove the giblets and neck from turkey cavities, checking that both cavities are empty. Rinse turkey with cold water, inside and out, and pat dry. Keep the legs tied together with the metal clip, or tie with butcher’s twine.

Place half of the rosemary sprigs and all the onion and garlic in the bird’s body cavity.

• (If you decide to stuff your turkey with traditional stuffing there are some things you must know: When stuffing a turkey, do so just before roasting; do not stuff it the night before. Loosely stuff the turkey so that the stuffing will completely cook through. Do not pack the stuffing. You can stuff both ends of a turkey, the large inside cavity and the smaller nook under the skin flap at the neck – cooking time may need to be increased and be sure your stuffing .)

Pull the leaves off the remaining rosemary sprigs. Carefully loosen the turkey skin over the breast and legs (by running your hands under it), being careful not to tear it. Keeping them as flat as possible, tuck the sage leaves and the rosemary leaves you pulled off under the breast, thigh, and leg skin, arranging the herbs decoratively. Carefully pull the breast skin tightly down over breast bone, then, using metal closure skewers, thread them through both sides of the skin flaps to bridge the turkey body-cavity opening. Thread skewers alternately from left to right then right to left. With a 12-inch piece of butcher’s twine or white cotton string, work back and forth around the skewers to lace up the cavity, shoelace-style.

Spray a roasting rack with nonstick vegetable spray and place the turkey on the rack in an open, shallow roasting pan. Rub the turkey all over with the olive oil, then generously sprinkle the turkey with the salt and pepper or French Seasoning Salt, seasoning it well all over.

Place the turkey on the low oven rack and roast until the inner, thickest part of the thigh registers 175°F. (Insert metal stem, instant-read thermometer in the back side of thigh by the turkey body.)

If you are cooking a larger turkey, you may need to tent the breast loosely with a piece of buttered foil to avoid over-browning of the breast. About 30 to 45 minutes before the end of cooking, remove tent to allow browning.

When the turkey is done, remove from the oven. Before carving the turkey, let it stand for 15 minutes to allow the juices to settle. As the turkey stands, the turkey thigh temperature will reach 180°F. (If stuffing be sure stuffing comes to 165°F) Use the pan drippings to make your gravy – see recipe below.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios^®

Old-Fashioned Turkey Mushroom Gravy- THAT MAKES A LOT!
You can make this a few days ahead and then re-heat in your turkey roasting pan for extra turkey flavor goodness! Read through the entire recipe before starting.

Makes 10 cups, or about 20 generous 1/2-cup servings

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary – or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
8 ounces (4 cups) thinly sliced mushrooms, or chopped wild mushrooms
1 cup flour
10 cups Rich Turkey Stock (recipe follows)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the rosemary and mushrooms and sauté over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir vigorously until combined and smooth. Cook for about 1 minute. Add the stock all at once and whisk vigorously so as to eliminate any lumps. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the gravy is nicely thickened. Season with salt and white pepper.

You can make the gravy a couple of days ahead to save yourself some precious holiday time!

Then right before serving- and while your turkey is set aside to rest – ready your turkey roasting pan full of turkey goodness: remove excess fat from your turkey roasting pan. Place the pan over a burner – add a big splash of white wine, champagne, potato cooking water, chicken broth or water. Using a metal spatula – scrape up all the goodies in the bottom of the pan… this is the turkey goodness. Then add your prepared Turkey Mushroom gravy – whisk well and heat till hot. Serve up and enjoy – you’ll have lots of gravy for all!

Rich Turkey Stock
Makes about 10 cups

2 large turkey legs or thighs, about 2 pounds total
1 yellow onion, unpeeled, coarsely chopped
1 large or 2 medium carrots, cut into large chunks
Up to 2 cups mushroom stems, optional
4 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine
12 cups water

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Roast the turkey pieces in a baking pan for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the skin is golden brown. Place them in an 8-quart pot and add the vegetables and seasonings. Deglaze the roasting pan with the wine, scraping the pan well to loosen browned bits, and add to the pot. Add the water.

Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a rapid simmer. Reduce the heat to low and lightly simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain the stock and skim off any fat. Discard the vegetables. (Most of the flavor will have cooked out of the turkey; however, the meat can be removed from the bones and saved for another use.)

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios^®

Cuties Overnight Wild-Rice & Sourdough Stuffing
With big flavors and textures, this stuffing is great with game hens, turkey, chicken, holiday ham or pork chops.
Makes about 8 servings

6 cups water
2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cup wild rice
—————————
6 Cuties Mandarin Oranges
4 cups 1/2-inch-cubed rustic sourdough bread
1/2 cup toasted, coarsely chopped almonds
6 Tbsp. salted butter
1 cup 1/4-inch-diced onion
1 cup 1/4-inch-diced celery
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1 tsp. kosher salt (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs, beaten

In a large pot, bring water and salt to a boil. Stir in wild rice and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer rice, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until very tender. Drain and cool.

Meanwhile, peel the Cuties, cut in half crosswise, then break into half segments. Place in a large bowl with the bread and almonds, and set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt butter, add the onion, celery, and mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 7–8 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat and add cranberries, broth and herbs.

Add mushroom mixture and cooled rice to bread mixture. Toss to mix evenly, then add the beaten egg and toss until bread is thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight to let flavors develop.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with pan spray.

Re-toss stuffing, transfer to baking pan, and let sit for 30 minutes to come to room temperature while oven preheats. Bake in preheated oven for 35–45 minutes, or until cooked through.

Chef’s Note: When roasting a stuffed chicken or game hen, cook until internal temperature at the center of the stuffing is 165 degrees F.

Recipe Created for Cuties Citrus by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Cranberry Citrus Cooler
Housemade Cranberry Syrup adds a flavorful twist and beautiful color to this tall cooler.
Makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz vodka
3/4 oz Housemade Cranberry Syrup including 3- 4 of the berries (recipe follows)
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 oz fresh orange juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Garnish: long lemon twist

Measure the Moon Mountain Vodka, Cranberry Syrup including a few of the berries, lemon juice and orange juice into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and add the bitters. Cap and shake. Pour into a tall glass. Garnish with a long curled lemon twist.

Housemade Cranberry Syrup
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Place ingredients into a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for 1 minute then turn off heat. Let syrup infuse for one hour. Then refrigerate. Will keep refrigerated for up to 7 days.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen^®

Eggnog Panna Cotta With Spiced Cranberry Compote
Makes 4 servings

1/3 cup pecan pieces

Eggnog Panna Cotta
1 cup high-quality eggnog
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1 cup (8 oz wt) mascarpone
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons gelatin
2 tablespoons water

Spiced Cranberry Compote
1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest

Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast in a preheated 350-degree oven until just golden, about 5-7 minutes. Let cool.

To make the Panna Cotta: Place the eggnog, sugar, nutmeg, extract, mascarpone and sour cream in a large metal bowl over a pan of simmering water (bain marie). Whisk until smooth and warmed.

In a small bowl sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let bloom for a couple of minutes, then heat in microwave or over hot water until melted. Whisk into the warmed eggnog mixture.

Divide mixture between 4 small custard cups (the small Pyrex glass ones). Place on a baking pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours until set, or overnight.

To make the Spiced Cranberry Compote: In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan place the cranberries, nutmeg, sugar, orange juice and zest. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium. Let cook until cranberries are popped and mixture is a nice compote consistency, about 5 – 6 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

To serve dessert: One at a time place each ramekin of panna cotta in a shallow bowl of very hot water — to 1/2-inch from the top — for about a count of 10. Remove, run a knife around the outside and unmold onto individual dessert plates. Scatter the cranberry compote over the tops of the custards. Sprinkle with toasted pecans and serve immediately.

Chef’s Note: All the dessert components can be made up to 3 days before serving.

Recipe © Dishing with Kathy Casey

Ever since ancient times, salt has been a valuable ingredient for everyday life. From food preservation to food enhancer, it was even used as currency to trade amongst earlier civilizations.

Salt varieties are bountiful these days. Just take a look at your local grocery store. There are so many d-lish options to choose from fleur de sel (a French sea salt) to hickory smoked flavored and even cabernet red wine salt – so yummy on a steak!

Salt just pops the flavor of any dish. Chicken, grilled fish, roasted veggies…and even cocktails! Just remember, a little bit goes a long way.

We have a great new salt in our Dish D’Lish line up: Rain City Seasoning – inspired by Seattle’s coffee addiction. It’s a blend of Caffè Umbria Coffee Roasters coffee and Theo Chocolate cocoa nibs with two types of salt, dried orange peel, allspice, and other spices to deliver a versatile and d’lish seasoning! Rain City Seasoning is perfect on salmon or steaks or sprinkled on roasted root vegetables. And it’s D’lish as a Bloody Mary rimmer.

But why not get creative and try your hand at making your own flavored salts? It’s easy! Here is my favorite method and a great combination for a DIY Citrus Salt:

Place 2 cups of kosher salt in a bowl
Add in 2 tablespoons each: of lemon zest and finely minced fresh rosemary, sage or thyme
Toss together then spread on a sheet pan.
Let sit out for about a week uncovered in a cool dry place – mixing daily.
Once the lemon and herbs dried, place in a food processor and whiz it up – or go old school and use a mortar and pestle.

You can also add in orange zest, or lime zest too to switch it up! Or double the amount of zest and herbs for extra flavor.

Now you have a delicious hand crafted salt – great on almost everything! –Kathy

Alright, we are in the dog days of summer, and things are heating up outside and on the grill. So let’s talk steak.

First things first, start with a good piece of meat: New York, filet, or rib-eye would be perfect! Something nice and thick.

About 30 minutes before you grill, take the steak out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temp. This will help you get a good, even cook once it hits the heat.

Be sure to pre-heat your grill to high. Lightly rub your steaks with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with my Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt (this is so delicious on steak!), or sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and some smoked paprika. Or if you want to try something really different, our new Dish D’Lish Rain City Seasoning has Caffé Umbria Coffee in it and Theo’s Coco Nibs. It’s super savory, dark and delicious on steaks!

Place the steaks on the grill and cook until nicely marked on the first side. Leave it be now – don’t move them around!

Then turn over and cook on the other side. Depending upon your steaks thickness will depend upon how long to cook it.

Remember the meat will continue to cook a bit after removing from the grill. And you can always put it back on for more heat; you just can’t go back the other way!

Serve topped with a simple to make herb garlic and blue cheese butter, your family’s favorite local veggies, and an ice cold local brew.

This is a photo of the delicious Grilled Rib Eye
with Red Wine Salt and Blue Cheese Butter on California Pizza Kitchen’s new menu!

So get the grill ready, it’s time for some mouth-watering steaks! –Kathy

Blue Cheese Herb Butter
This is a big bold flavored butter so a little dab will do ya!
You can freeze any leftover or use on grilled veggies too!

Makes about 1 cup

6 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

Whip the butter, cheese, garlic, hot sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper together until smooth. Then add the green onions and herbs. Mix until well incorporated.
Refrigerate until needed. Bring to room temperature before smearing on grilled steaks, or veggies.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com

For me, nothing says summer like fresh corn on the cob. Personally, I love my corn with just a bit of seasoning, but naked is just fine by me! A little smear of butter is the perfect complement to hot corn on the cob.

Put on your thinking caps; it’s time to get creative. Try whipping in a bit of local honey with chili powder (like in my Honey Butter recipe below) or combine fresh basil, roasted garlic and some finely grated cheddar cheese. The combinations are endless!

More commonly boiled or steamed, corn is also amazing done on the grill. If you’ve already got your grill turned on for a sizzling summer barbeque, throw your corn on, too. Leave the stem on for an easy handle and roll it along the grill just enough to heat it through and get some great color on it.

Serve it just like that, or cut off the kernels for my Summer Roasted Pepper, Corn, and Arugula Salad. Other options are to add the kernels to fresh salsa, folded into a chopped veggie salad, or in your favorite potato salad with some roasted hot peppers.

Speaking of cutting off the kernels, I have a great trick to share with you; if you have a bundt pan. Insert the corn into the center hole and carefully cut downwards as close to the cob as you can, without cutting into the cob. The bundt pan will catch all the kernels for you. If you don’t have one, just hold the corn vertically, making sure the tip is firmly in place and cut downwards.

Photo from Simply Recipes

So go enjoy one of the best tastes of summer while you can – fresh-picked, local corn! –Kathy

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Honey Butter
Pull back the husks and pull out the silk, then tie off the husks with a strip of husk. This makes for a decorative and very useful handle.

Makes 8 servings.

8 whole ears fresh corn

Honey Butter
1 stick (1/4 lb.) butter
2 Tbsp. local honey, such as my “5130” Honey
2 tsp. Tabasco or hot sauce (more or less if desired)
2 Tbsp. coarse chopped Italian parsley

Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt – or sea salt
fresh lime wedges

Peel back corn husks and pull out corn silk. Heat barbecue coals or wood fire.

Meanwhile, in a mixer whip the butter, honey, Tabasco and parsley together until fluffy.

When coals are hot, place corn on grill and cook, turning every few minutes. Cook until corn is lightly charred and cooked through. Spread corn with Honey Butter and sprinkle with seasoning.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com

Summer Roasted Pepper, Corn and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese Crostini
Makes 6 servings

1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
3 ears fresh corn, husked
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
—————————————
12 thin slices (1/4-inch) of French bread baguette, lightly toasted
6 oz soft chevre goat cheese
—————————————
4 to 6 cups baby arugula

Roast peppers over a hot grill or coals or under the broiler, turning often until skin is totally blistered. Peel, seed and thinly slice peppers. Set aside.

Grill corn, turning when each side is marked and lightly roasted. Cut corn from cob, and add to peppers.

In a large bowl, whisk mustard, garlic, vinegar and lemon juice together. Slowly whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper, and toss in basil, roasted peppers, and corn. Set aside.

Meanwhile, spread toasted French bread slices with goat cheese, and heat in the oven or on the grill until just warmed and toasty.

Add arugula to roasted pepper mixture. Toss well. Divide among individual salad plates and garnish with the warm goat cheese crostini.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com

 

It’s no secret Seattleites are fond of their coffee! We love our brew any time of day and any form we can find it. With that in mind, Dish D’Lish took the passion (and sometimes necessity) for that daily dose of caffeine and developed a tasty new seasoning blend that focuses on those unmistakable and complex flavors.

Aptly named, Rain City Seasoning is the 3^rd addition to our Dish D’Lish seasoning blend collection and we partnered with two Seattle favorites, Caffè Umbria Coffee Roasters and Theo Chocolate. Caffè Umbria’s delicious coffee is ground fresh for every batch of seasoning and Theo Chocolate’s cocoa nibs are of the highest quality, fair trade, and perfectly toasted. We then blend these together with 2 types of salt, dried orange peel, allspice, peppers, and other spices to deliver a versatile and d’lish seasoning!

Rain City Seasoning is perfect for chicken, rubbed on steak, salmon or pork loins, sprinkled on roasted root vegetables, squash or adding an extra bit of “wow” to a dark and delicious BBQ sauce. But the uses don’t end there! Cocktails can use this blend as a rim or spice ingredient for Bloody Marys or to add a savory take on a smoky margarita made with mescal.

Coffee not your thing? Try Our Other Seasonings:

French Seasoning Salt is a salty and savory seasoning that is the perfect all-purpose blend with 3 types of salt, garlic, onion, pepper, paprika, herbs, and spices. It really allows meats, seafood, poultry and vegetables to shine anytime.

The Cha Cha Chipotle Lime Seasoning is our slightly spicy and citrusy seasoning. We combine chipotle and dark chili powders, salt, lime, onion, garlic, and spices together to form a seasoning you will do the Cha Cha for! This seasoning is perfect for adding depth and flavor to poultry, meats, seafood, and veggies when grilling, roasting or sautéing.

 

 

Savory Roasted Squash

The rich coffee notes in the Rain City Seasoning bring out the sweetness of the squash. Snazz up this tasty side dish with a sprinkling of blue cheese, pomegranate seeds and toasted hazelnuts.

Makes about 6 servings.

1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. dry vermouth, white wine or apple juice
6 cups peeled 1 1/2-inch cubed winter squash, such as Hubbard, Butternut or Acorn
1 Tbsp. Dish D’Lish Rain City Seasoning

Preheat oven to 357⁰

In a large bowl whisk the oil, brown sugar and vermouth together. Then add the squash and stir to coat well. Sprinkle the squash with the Rain City Seasoning and then toss to coat.

Lay the squash out in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast the squash for about 25 – 35 minutes until they are tender and the edges are caramelized.

Dish D’Lish Rain City Seasoning Chef’s Notes:

For an average size steak or salmon fillet use 1 tsp. per side

Rub 1 – 2 Tbsp. on a whole chicken before roasting.

Sprinkle on grilled pears or peaches, serve on goat cheese spread crostini for a quick and easy appetizer.